


Stress Relief (The Two People Make a Conspiracy, Three People Make a Farce Remix)

by twtd



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Conspiracy, F/F, Fluff, Gen, Remix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-05
Updated: 2010-10-05
Packaged: 2017-10-12 10:52:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/124105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twtd/pseuds/twtd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Never doubt that Margaret knows everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stress Relief (The Two People Make a Conspiracy, Three People Make a Farce Remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ariestess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Stress Relief](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/1595) by ariestess. 



"You can go on back." Margaret smiled as she waved Ainsley through to CJ's office, not looking twice at the basket slung over one of her arms. She didn't look up as the door closed behind Ainsley, and as she heard the door lock, she merely hoped that they remembered to lock both of them this time. Really, they should realize that it was far easier for her to stop people from getting past her desk if they couldn't simply go around the corner.

Margaret looked over her desk once more, making sure that there wasn't anything on it that CJ would have to deal with that night. Once she was satisfied that there wasn't, she went back to her own work. She had a feeling that CJ would be calling it an early night. Well, an _earlier_ night. Baring any sort of national emergency, of course.

And then, as if her thoughts had conjured up the devil (she could do that sometimes) Kate Harper walked into her office. But her footsteps didn't carry the urgency of crisis. "Commander Harper, what can I do for you?"

"Is CJ still here?" She gestured toward the closed door. "I'm taking the overnight where Lt. Paxton can be home for his anniversary. I just thought I might drop by and see if she had any questions before her meeting with Nancy tomorrow."

Margaret's smile turned apologetic. "She's in a private meeting, and then she's going home. You'll have to catch her in the morning."

"Private meeting?" Kate looked over her shoulder at the sound of footsteps coming up behind her. "Hey Will."

He raised his eyebrows, swinging a thin manila file in between his fingers. "Hey, I saw the powwow. What's going on?"

"CJ's in a late meeting," Kate said, resting a hip against Margaret's desk.

Will's eyebrows went up even further. "Something interesting happening?" He didn't need to say that since the election, interesting things didn't really happen to them anymore.

"Just the local representative from the Federalist Society." Margaret didn't know when they had decided that was the code for Ainsley's visits, but that was what she put down on the schedule now whenever Ainsley came by: Ainsley Hayes, esq. Federalist Society, West Wing Cptr. It seemed less dishonest than saying that she was on business from the Hoover Institute when she clearly wasn't.

"Oh." Will almost looked dejected as he fell into one of the chairs, only to find his feet again a second later. "Mister President." He pushed his glasses up as Kate and Margaret stood as well.

"Is CJ still here?" Bartlet looked at each of them in turn, as if trying to figure out which one of them was responsible for it.

"She was just getting ready to leave, sir." And Margaret really hoped that it stayed that way.

"Well, what's she doing now? I thought today was supposed to be a light day. I should go in there and tell her to get out of here." He stepped toward the door just as Margaret moved in front of it.

"Respectfully, sir, someone's already doing that." Margaret stood her ground.

"Really?" Bartlet looked between Margaret and the door, making sure he understood exactly what was going on. "Well, good for her." He nodded and turned. "You two should get home too." He pointed at Kate and Will.

Will mumbled a "yes, sir," and Kate just smiled as he swept back out again. They stood for a moment, just looking at each other.

"So," Will, looking slightly bewildered, turned to Kate, "you're here for the night?" She nodded, mouth twitching as if she was trying not to smile. "Wanna come sit in my office while I try to rewrite some remarks."

At her nod of assent, he ushered her out of Margaret's office, a quiet, "have a good night," on his lips.

Margaret settled back down at her desk, glad that all of the possible interruptions had taken care of themselves with minimal effort on her part. She looked at her empty office for a moment before turning back to her email, and that's what she was looking at when CJ's office door finally opened. Ainsley smiled and waved, stealing a piece of candy as she passed Margaret's desk.

CJ came out a few minutes later, hovering over Margaret's desk. "Anything that I need to see before I head home."

"Nothing that can't wait." Margaret smiled up at her. "You should enjoy your night." If CJ looked at her oddly, Margaret just looked right back at her.

"Yeah, I'll do that." CJ grabbed her briefcase under Margaret's watchful eye, looking over her shoulder as she finally left the office.


End file.
